Ever wanted to dress up your dog? Facebook says you do. Why not do it for a worthy cause?

It’ll set you back a mere $15 bucks to enter the Oct. 27 Canine Costume Contest in Newark. The money will benefit a local Iraq war veteran who suffers from PTSD and his brand-new service dog.

The Newark Jaycees are holding the Saturday event at Newark’s Norma B. Handloff Park, at 1000 Barksdale Rd., to raise money for People and Paws Assisting Wounded Warriors and, in turn, former Army Staff Sgt. Tim Hasko, a Newark native who lives in Bear with his wife Jennifer and service dog Monte.

PPAWWs places service dogs with veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder or from a traumatic brain injury, known as TBI. The highly trained dogs – PPAWWs specializes in Great Danes – can remind vets to take their medication, help calm them during tense moments and even wake them during nightmares.

PPAWWs provides the dogs at no cost to the veteran. The money raised will go to covering the vet bills and other expenses associated with the continued training of this “Warrior/Dog Team.”

“These soldiers have put their life on the line for us,” said Newark Jaycees chapter president Richard Lapsley. “Helping out an organization like PPAWWs, and helping a veteran in our community was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up. We wanted to tie in the dog theme and with Halloween coming up, holding a dog costume contest seemed like a perfect opportunity.”

The Jaycees are announcing the event a month early to give dog owners time to start getting their dog costumes ready for the contest. (The organization is also looking for event sponsors.) The winner of the contest will get to walk with Hasko and Monte at the Newark Halloween parade the following day, along with members of the Newark Jaycees and PPAWWs. Prizes will also be given out at the competition.